Mounting wheels for a washing machine



Dec. 5, 1967 c. J. DUPEUX 3,356,384

MOUNTING WHEEL-S FOR A WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1966 3 2 E15 3 2 7! L 6 Fl 6.1 Fl 6.2

CYPRIEN JEAN DUPEUX BY Y 22,074 /Z.. AGE T United States Patent MOUNTING WHEELS FOR A WASHING MACHINE Cyprien Jean Dupeux, Chatou, France, assignor to North American Philips Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a

corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 520,503 Claims priority, application France, Jan. 15, 1965, 2,017 3 Claims. (Cl. 230-62) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wheeled mechanism for stabilizing a washing machine particularly during the period that the washing machine drum rotates at high speed. A pair of wheels are mounted such that the wheel axes are at an obtuse angle with respect to each other. Further, at least one of the wheels is elliptical in shape.

This invention relates to washing machines of the type in which the base surface is provided with wheels.

During the periods of drying, when the washing drum is rotating at high speed, machines of this type acquire an alternating movement about their position of equilibrium in the longitudinal direction, that is to say at right angles to the axis of rotation of the drum. If the amplitude of this movement remains small it sufiicies to make allowance for it upon installation of the machine, but if the amplitude is considerable the machine may tend to displace itself, which may cause damage to the machine or to articles present in the vicinity thereof.

In order to avoid such displacement of the machine, numerous solutions have been suggested which utilize a mechanical auxiliary device.

The present invention aifords the advantage that no additional mechanical device whatever is necessary for limiting the amplitude of the alternating movement in the longitudinal direction and thus avoiding displacement of the machine.

The invention is characterized in that the axes of at least two of the wheels define an obtuse angle between 170 and 179 to one another. The tendency of the machine to displace itself is decreased still further if, according to the invention, the machine has at least one wheel in which the distance from the running surface to the axis of rotation is variable.

The term variable distance from the running surface to the axis of rotation is to be understood herein to mean that the distance between the running surface and the axis, as viewed in the direction of the running surface, is not constant such as is the case, for example, if the wheel is elliptical in shape, or if the axis has an eccentric position in a cylindrical wheel.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view on the bottom of a washing machine of known type;

FIG. 2 is a view on the bottom of a washing machine a co di g o the inve ti a d FIG. 3 shows one example of a wheel according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the positions of wheels 1, 2 and 3 provided under a base plate 4 of a washing machine of known type. The median plane of the wheel 1, which is indicated by a dot-and-dash line 5, coincides with the median plane in the longitudinal direction of said machine. The axes of the wheels 2 and 3 are aligned and indicated by a dot-and-dash line 6 at right angles to said median plane.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of the wheels 1, 2 and 3 in accordance with the invention. The mounting of the wheel 1 is similar to that in FIG. 1. The axes 7 and 8 of the wheels 2 and 3 are at angles between /2 and 5 to the dot-and-dash line 6 thereby defining an obtuse angle therebetween ranging between and 179. The longitudinal axis passes through the point of intersection of the wheel axes and bisects the angle therebetween.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a wheel 9 according to the invention which is mounted on a spindle 10. In this example a running surface 11 is symmetrical with respect to the spindle 10, that is to say elliptical in this particular case.

Since the axes of the wheels 2 and 3 are at a small angle to one another and the running surface is but slightly elliptical, manual displacement of the washing machine according to the invention remains readily possible. During drying the machine is subjected to a complex of forces, it being possible for each force to be decomposed into two perpendicular directions so that the displacement in the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction is counteracted, the amplitude of the alternating movement in the longitudinal direction being decreased further due to the elliptical shape of the wheels, resulting in the machine being restorted to a stable condition of equilibrium on account of its own weight.

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel mounting assembly for resisting displacement along a longitudinal axis of a machine comprising: a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on the base of said machine, the central axes of at least two of said wheels being substantially parallel to said base and positioned at an obtuse angle to one another, said angle ranging from 170179, said obtuse angle being bisected by the longitudinal axis of said machine.

2. A wheel mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the running surface of at least one of said wheels is at a variable distance from the central axis of said at least one wheel.

3. A wheel mounting assembly according to claim 2 wherein said running surface defines an elipse.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,561,918 11/ 1925 Feddersen 280229 1,622,073 3/ 1927 Whittier.

3,073,408 1/1963 Winkler 1801 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,215,053 11/1959 France.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WHEEL MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR RESISTING DISPLACEMENT ALONG A LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF A MACHINE COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE BASE OF SAID MACHINE, THE CENTRAL AXES OF AT LEAST TWO OF SAID WHEELS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID BASE AND POSITIONED AT AN OBTUSE ANGLE TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID ANGLE RANGING FROM 170*-179*, SAID OBTUSE ANGLE BEING BIASED BY THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID MACHINE. 